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BACKGROUND: Improving shared decision-making using a treat-to-target approach, including the use of clinical outcome measures, is important to providing high quality care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We developed an Electronic Health Record (EHR) integrated, patient-facing sidecar dashboard application that displays RA outcomes, medications, and lab results for use during clinical visits (RA PRO dashboard). The purpose of this study was to assess clinician perceptions and experiences using the dashboard in a university rheumatology clinic. METHODS: We conducted focus group (FG) discussions with clinicians who had access to the dashboard as part of a randomized, stepped-wedge pragmatic trial. FGs explored clinician perceptions towards the usability, acceptability, and usefulness of the dashboard. FG data were analyzed thematically using deductive and inductive techniques; generated themes were categorized into the domains of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). RESULTS: 3 FG discussions were conducted with a total of 13 clinicians. Overall, clinicians were enthusiastic about the dashboard and expressed the usefulness of visualizing RA outcome trajectories in a graphical format for motivating patients, enhancing patient understanding of their RA outcomes, and improving communication about medications. Major themes that emerged from the FG analysis as barriers to using the dashboard included inconsistent collection of RA outcomes leading to sparse data in the dashboard and concerns about explaining RA outcomes, especially to patients with fibromyalgia. Other challenges included time constraints and technical difficulties refreshing the dashboard to display real-time data. Methods for integrating the dashboard into the visit varied: some clinicians used the dashboard at the beginning of the visit as they documented RA outcomes; others used it at the end to justify changes to therapy; and a few shared it only with stable patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides valuable insights into clinicians perceptions and experiences with the RA PRO dashboard. The dashboard showed promise in enhancing patient-clinician communication, shared decision-making, and overall acceptance among clinicians. Addressing challenges related to data collection, education, and tailoring dashboard use to specific patient populations will be crucial for maximizing its potential impact on RA care. Further research and ongoing improvements in dashboard design and implementation are warranted to ensure its successful integration into routine clinical practice.

Introduction: To improve clinical teaching skills, feedback on teachers' strengths and weaknesses needs to be reliable, timely, and relevant. To provide timely feedback we undertook development of an analytical dashboard to provide learner feedback to our faculty. As dashboard data displays are limited we performed a modified Delphi (mDelphi) method to determine what feedback would be preferred by our faculty. Methods: Our study was used to develop a group consensus of how our faculty's teaching effectiveness data should be presented on an online electronic dashboard to support their needs. A working group of junior and senior faculty, a resident and fellow were asked to provide topics that provided formative and summative feedback for our faculty. Thirteen topics were identified and these were used in a mDelphi process to choose 4–5 topics which were relevant to faculty and be able to be displayed on a faculty facing dashboard. Two rounds of the mDelphi were performed using faculty experts in education of varying levels of experience. Results: The first round of the mDelphi identified ten topics which were given high priority by our experts and the other three were discarded. In the second and final round four topics were given the highest importance for inclusion on the faculty dashboard. Conclusion: Our study identified 4 high priority topics for a faculty teaching scorecard. This study showed that anesthesiology faculty prefer topics relevant to formative rather than summative assessment with an emphasis on benchmarking to other faculty with the goal of improving teaching effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outcome measures are crucial to support a treat-to-target approach to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care, yet their integration into clinical practice remains inconsistent. We developed an Electronic Heath Record-integrated, patient-facing side-car application to display RA outcomes (disease activity, functional status, pain scores), medications, and lab results during clinical visits ("RA PRO Dashboard"). The study aimed to evaluate patient perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of a novel patient-facing dashboard during clinical visits using a mixed-methods approach. Methods: RA patients whose clinicians used the dashboard at least once during their clinical visit were invited to complete a survey regarding its usefulness in care. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with a subset of patients to assess their perceptions of the dashboard. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using deductive and inductive techniques. Emerging themes and subthemes were organized into four domains of the Ecological Model of Health. Results: Out of 173 survey respondents, 79% were interested in seeing the dashboard again at a future visit, 71% felt it improved their understanding of their disease, and 65% believed it helped with decision-making about their RA care. Many patients reported that the dashboard helped them discuss their RA symptoms (76%) and medications (72%) with their clinician. Interviews with 29 RA patients revealed 10 key themes: the dashboard was perceived as a valuable visual tool that improved patients' understanding of RA outcome measures, enhanced their involvement in care, and increased their trust in clinicians and the clinic. Common reported limitations included concerns about reliability of RA outcome questionnaires for some RA patients and inconsistent collection and explanation of these measures by clinicians. Conclusions: In both the quantitative and qualitative components of the study, patients reported that the dashboard improved their understanding of their RA, enhanced patient-clinician communication, supported shared decision-making, and increased patient engagement in care. These findings support the use of dashboards or similar data visualization tools in RA care and can be used in future interventions to address challenges in data collection and patient education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of layout order on the complexity of the dashboard interface based on screen-based eye trackers. By simplifying and abstracting dashboard interfaces and incorporating subjective ratings (symmetry and unity calculations), we successfully manipulated the levels of complexity and layout order of the interface materials. Using four types of eye movement data (total fixation count, total gaze duration, scanning paths, and hotspot maps) and behavioral data, we compared participants' visual search behavior on interfaces with different layout orders and complexity levels. Experiment 1 revealed a significant interaction between layout order and interface complexity, with participants performing significantly better in the high-level layout order condition. Experiment 2 confirmed that the position of the core chart plays a crucial role in users' visual search behavior and that the optimal layout order for the dashboard is to place the core chart on the left side of the interface's horizontal axis, with partial symmetry in the no-core chart areas. This study highlights the effectiveness of eye-tracking techniques in user interface design research and provides valuable insights into optimizing dashboard interface design. Designers should adopt the design principle of "order is more" in addition to "less is more" and consider designing the core chart in the left-center position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction sector is known for exposing workers to numerous potential hazards, with falls from heights being the leading cause. These fatal fall accidents not only result in human loss but also impose significant financial costs on construction projects. However, current safety planning and management is typically carried out manually using safety documents and 2D models, which are time-consuming and labor-intensive. There is also a lack of visualization for the placement of temporary safety facilities (TSFs) during construction. Meanwhile, Building Information Modeling (BIM) has the potential to be used as a comprehensive workspace planning for TSFs in a scheduling manner. Therefore, this study proposes the development of a construction safety dashboard to inform workers about fall hazards using spatial–temporal data stored in 4D BIM. The proposed approach includes four modules: (1) identification and assessment of risk from identified work activities, (2) development of 4D BIM model, (3) creation of a dashboard to share safety knowledge, and (4) validation of the dashboard through interviews with safety managers and site workers. This approach is tested on a stadium project, particularly focusing on roof work activities, where workers are most prone to fall hazards. The proposed method aims to provide ease for site workers to access safety knowledge, including risk identification (including risk, fatality, location, and time), visualization of TSFs, personal protective equipment, and safety work instructions. This interactive dashboard also enables safety managers to plan safety measures, allocate TSFs efficiently, and make well-informed decisions to effectively mitigate risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban development is a current priority in terms of improving the sustainability of cities amid demographic pressure and intensive economic development in the European Union. In this context, we aim to critically analyze the progress achieved by the European Member States in the period of 2010–2022 from the perspective of Sustainable Development Goal 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities—and conceptualize the new development scoreboard from the perspective of SDG11. The methods used consist in applying principal components analysis for a set of 15 sustainability indicators related to the studied objective and designing the new sustainability index from the perspective of the ODD11 and the European ranking. The results of the study will allow for the formulation of public policies useful for European decision makers to improve the progress made relating to this objective, and we believe that their implementation could support the transformation of European cities in a sustainable and equitable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction To improve clinical teaching skills, feedback on teachers’ strengths and weaknesses needs to be reliable, timely, and relevant. To provide timely feedback we undertook development of an analytical dashboard to provide learner feedback to our faculty. As dashboard data displays are limited we performed a modified Delphi (mDelphi) method to determine what feedback would be preferred by our faculty. Methods Our study was used to develop a group consensus of how our faculty’s teaching effectiveness data should be presented on an online electronic dashboard to support their needs. A working group of junior and senior faculty, a resident and fellow were asked to provide topics that provided formative and summative feedback for our faculty. Thirteen topics were identified and these were used in a mDelphi process to choose 4–5 topics which were relevant to faculty and be able to be displayed on a faculty facing dashboard. Two rounds of the mDelphi were performed using faculty experts in education of varying levels of experience. Results The first round of the mDelphi identified ten topics which were given high priority by our experts and the other three were discarded. In the second and final round four topics were given the highest importance for inclusion on the faculty dashboard. Conclusion Our study identified 4 high priority topics for a faculty teaching scorecard. This study showed that anesthesiology faculty prefer topics relevant to formative rather than summative assessment with an emphasis on benchmarking to other faculty with the goal of improving teaching effectiveness.

Abstract Background Outcome measures are crucial to support a treat-to-target approach to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care, yet their integration into clinical practice remains inconsistent. We developed an Electronic Heath Record-integrated, patient-facing side-car application to display RA outcomes (disease activity, functional status, pain scores), medications, and lab results during clinical visits (“RA PRO Dashboard”). The study aimed to evaluate patient perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of a novel patient-facing dashboard during clinical visits using a mixed-methods approach. Methods RA patients whose clinicians used the dashboard at least once during their clinical visit were invited to complete a survey regarding its usefulness in care. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with a subset of patients to assess their perceptions of the dashboard. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using deductive and inductive techniques. Emerging themes and subthemes were organized into four domains of the Ecological Model of Health. Results Out of 173 survey respondents, 79% were interested in seeing the dashboard again at a future visit, 71% felt it improved their understanding of their disease, and 65% believed it helped with decision-making about their RA care. Many patients reported that the dashboard helped them discuss their RA symptoms (76%) and medications (72%) with their clinician. Interviews with 29 RA patients revealed 10 key themes: the dashboard was perceived as a valuable visual tool that improved patients’ understanding of RA outcome measures, enhanced their involvement in care, and increased their trust in clinicians and the clinic. Common reported limitations included concerns about reliability of RA outcome questionnaires for some RA patients and inconsistent collection and explanation of these measures by clinicians. Conclusions In both the quantitative and qualitative components of the study, patients reported that the dashboard improved their understanding of their RA, enhanced patient-clinician communication, supported shared decision-making, and increased patient engagement in care. These findings support the use of dashboards or similar data visualization tools in RA care and can be used in future interventions to address challenges in data collection and patient education.

Abstract For time-sensitive treatment of a patient with malignant melanoma, physicians must obtain a rapid overview of the patient’s status. This study aimed to analyze context-specific features and processes at the point of care to derive requirements for a dashboard granting more straightforward access to information. The Think-Aloud method, contextual inquiries, and interviews were performed with physicians from the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Essen in Germany. The user statements and observations that were obtained were grouped and categorized using an affinity diagram. Based on the derived subjects, requirements were defined, confirmed, and prioritized. The resulting affinity diagram revealed four topics of importance at the point of care. These topics are “Identifying and Processing the Important”, a comprehensive “Patient Record”, tasks and challenges in the “Clinical Routine”, and interactions and experiences with the available “Systems”. All aspects have been reflected in 135 requirements for developing context- and indication-specific patient dashboards. Our work has elucidated the most important aspects to consider when designing a dashboard that improves patient care by enabling physicians to focus on the relevant information. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the aspects most often mentioned are not context-specific and can be generalized to other medical contexts.

Abstract Hypertension disparities persist and remain high among racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States (US). Data‐driven approaches based on electronic health records (EHRs) in primary care are seen as a strong opportunity to address this situation. This qualitative study evaluated the development, sustainability, and usability of an EHR‐integrated hypertension disparities dashboard for health care professionals in primary care. Ten semi‐structured interviews, exploring the approach and sustainability, as well as eight usability interviews, using the think aloud protocol were conducted with quality improvement managers, data analysts, program managers, evaluators, and primary care providers. For the results, dashboard development steps include having clear goals, defining a target audience, compiling data, and building multidisciplinary teams. For sustainability, the dashboard can enhance understanding of the social determinants of health or to inform QI projects. In terms of dashboard usability, positive aspects consisted of the inclusion of summary pages, patient's detail pages, and hover‐over interface. Important design considerations were refining sorting functions, gender inclusivity, and increasing dashboard visibility. In sum, an EHR‐driven dashboard can be a novel tool for addressing hypertension disparities in primary care. It offers a platform where clinicians can identify patients for culturally tailored interventions. Factors such as physician time constraints, data definitions, comprehensive patient demographic information, end‐users, and future sustenance, should be considered before implementing a dashboard. Additional research is needed to identify practices for integrating a dashboard into clinical workflow for hypertension.

The health sector in Bangladesh is thriving, and the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) program has been in place to investigate the causes of maternal and perinatal death. This study aimed to investigate the availability of information systems for measuring the status of an MPDSR program and the planning process and actions developed based on real-time information. This study delved into innovative information systems that can be used to monitor and measure the impact of health programs. The study included both the primary and secondary data. A total of six key informant interviews were conducted to explore the enablers and strengths of information systems. Secondary data were collected from government websites and MPDSR action plans. This study highlights the potential and challenges of governmental health information systems in notifying maternal and neonatal deaths. While the current notification rates are not up to national standards, it is encouraging to see health managers develop action plans and address this issue. The MPDSR information system is a valuable tool to help health managers measure changes in maternal and perinatal mortality rates and design locally targeted interventions. However, several obstacles must be addressed, such as insufficient data, lack of monitoring, and irregularities in MPDSR review meetings. By finding ways to overcome these challenges, we can unlock the full potential of MPDSR and improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. The success of an MPDSR program relies on how the information is utilized to take action and measure the outcome. Advanced information systems, such as health dashboards, scorecards, and administrative data, can play a vital role in measuring the progress and impact of a program. The primary challenge lies in capturing all deaths, including their causes, and having the capacity to analyze the data effectively to develop action plans for health managers.

Background Building Metagenome–Assembled Genomes (MAGs) from highly complex metagenomics datasets encompasses a series of steps covering from cleaning the sequences, assembling them to finally group them into bins. Along the process, multiple tools aimed to assess the quality and integrity of each MAG are implemented. Nonetheless, even when incorporated within end–to–end pipelines, the outputs of these pieces of software must be visualized and analyzed manually lacking integration in a complete framework. Methods We developed a Nextflow pipeline (MAGFlow) for estimating the quality of MAGs through a wide variety of approaches (BUSCO, CheckM2, GUNC and QUAST), as well as for annotating taxonomically the metagenomes using GTDB-Tk2. MAGFlow is coupled to a Python–Dash application (BIgMAG) that displays the concatenated outcomes from the tools included by MAGFlow, highlighting the most important metrics in a single interactive environment along with a comparison/clustering of the input data. Results By using MAGFlow/BIgMAG, the user will be able to benchmark the MAGs obtained through different workflows or establish the quality of the MAGs belonging to different samples following the divide and rule methodology. Conclusions MAGFlow/BIgMAG represents a unique tool that integrates state-of-the-art tools to study different quality metrics and extract visually as much information as possible from a wide range of genome features.

Designing a Web-based Employee Task Management Information System on CV. Achai Berkat Sejahtera is a plan made to assist business owners in employee management and help employees communicate an obstacle in an organized manner so that communication misses do not occur. Designing CV Employee Task Management Information System. Achai Berkat Sejahtera has features such as Employee Task Management Systems and a dashboard for admins to see employee performance. The design of this Information System uses the Waterfall System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) development methodology. The database that this application uses uses a MySQL database. The programming languages used are HTML, CSS, JS, and PHP with the Bootstrap Framework and CodeIgniter which produce attractive and dynamic web applications. With a dynamic web application, it will be able to help admins and employees in accessing and processing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, numerous examples of food system dashboards have been developed with the goal of offering users the opportunity to monitor or assess (their) national food systems. One of the many challenges faced by these initiatives has been to strike an acceptable balance between the complexity, local-specificity, and multi-sectoral nature of these food systems while also ensuring that the information remains accessible and usable for decisionmakers. Perhaps even more critical, yet rarely discussed or implemented in most of the current food system dashboard initiatives, is the imperative of coconstructing these initiatives with local stakeholders. The case presented in this study puts participation at the center of the design and construction of a food systems' monitoring dashboard. Using a replicable yet rigorous methodology, we demonstrate the feasibility of co-creating food system dashboards that integrate comprehensive and multi-sectoral inputs from national stakeholders while ensuring these dashboards are functional, evidence-based, and reflective of the country's specific features. The approach is illustrated with the empirical cases of three pilot countries within the low-and middle-income countries group (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Honduras), where the methodology was tested between 2021 and 2022. We conclude by succinctly examining the ongoing challenges in constructing actionable food system dashboards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To describe the development and implementation of clinical dashboards to standardize data capturing and reporting across multiple partner health systems. Summary Between July and September 2020, clinical dashboards were developed and implemented across multiple partner health-system specialty pharmacies (HSSPs) located throughout the United States. The dashboards were developed via collaboration between personnel involved in clinical subcommittees, clinical outcomes, data analytics, information technology, and clinical and central operations. Utilizing a cloud-scale business intelligence service, patient clinical data documented in a shared patient management system was utilized to create customizable dashboards that displayed patient-reported outcome measures, collected laboratory or test results, and completed pharmacist interventions. Separate dashboards were developed for several disease states and/or medication classes. Based on specialty pharmacy recommendations, medical literature, and clinical guidelines, internally developed disease-specific protocols defined data included in the dashboards and ensured consistent data collection amongst partner health systems. Having access to real-time clinical information allows health systems to closely monitor performance metrics, track patient outcomes, and identify operational gaps. Conclusion Accurately capturing and reporting clinical metrics using clinical dashboards can assist HSSPs in delivering high-quality care. Having access to clinical outcome measures allows HSSPs to better understand the impact of their services on patients' health and quality of life. Health systems can utilize this data to analyze trends and recognize areas of opportunity so that measures can be taken to improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension disparities persist and remain high among racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States (US). Data‐driven approaches based on electronic health records (EHRs) in primary care are seen as a strong opportunity to address this situation. This qualitative study evaluated the development, sustainability, and usability of an EHR‐integrated hypertension disparities dashboard for health care professionals in primary care. Ten semi‐structured interviews, exploring the approach and sustainability, as well as eight usability interviews, using the think aloud protocol were conducted with quality improvement managers, data analysts, program managers, evaluators, and primary care providers. For the results, dashboard development steps include having clear goals, defining a target audience, compiling data, and building multidisciplinary teams. For sustainability, the dashboard can enhance understanding of the social determinants of health or to inform QI projects. In terms of dashboard usability, positive aspects consisted of the inclusion of summary pages, patient's detail pages, and hover‐over interface. Important design considerations were refining sorting functions, gender inclusivity, and increasing dashboard visibility. In sum, an EHR‐driven dashboard can be a novel tool for addressing hypertension disparities in primary care. It offers a platform where clinicians can identify patients for culturally tailored interventions. Factors such as physician time constraints, data definitions, comprehensive patient demographic information, end‐users, and future sustenance, should be considered before implementing a dashboard. Additional research is needed to identify practices for integrating a dashboard into clinical workflow for hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective feedback on cytology performance relies on navigating complex laboratory information system data, which is prone to errors and lacks flexibility. As a comprehensive solution, we used the Python programming language to create a dashboard application for screening and diagnostic quality metrics. Data from the 5-year period (2018-2022) were accessed. Versatile open-source Python libraries (user developed program code packages) were used from the first step of LIS data cleaning through the creation of the application. To evaluate performance, we selected 3 gynecologic metrics: the ASC/LSIL ratio, the ASC-US/ASC-H ratio, and the proportion of cytologic abnormalities in comparison to the total number of cases (abnormal rate). We also evaluated the referral rate of cytologists/cytotechnologists (CTs) and the ratio of thyroid AUS interpretations by cytopathologists (CPs). These were formed into colored graphs that showcase individual results in established, color-coded laboratory "goal," "borderline," and "attention" zones based on published reference benchmarks. A representation of the results distribution for the entire laboratory was also developed. We successfully created a web-based test application that presents interactive dashboards with different interfaces for the CT, CP, and laboratory management (https://drkvcsstvn-dashboards.hf.space/app). The user can choose to view the desired quality metric, year, and the anonymized CT or CP, with an additional automatically generated written report of results. Python programming proved to be an effective toolkit to ensure high-level data processing in a modular and reproducible way to create a personalized, laboratory specific cytology dashboard. • This study introduces an innovative approach to cytology quality assessment, using Python programming to create an interactive dashboard navigating complex laboratory information system (LIS) data. • The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of gynecologic and thyroid cytology metrics over a 5-year period, including ASC/LSIL and ASC-US/ASC-H ratio, abnormal rate, referral rate and thyroid AUS ratio. • The results are visually represented through colored graphs, categorizing individual outcomes, and offering a clear distribution across the laboratory. • The web-based application (https://drkvcsstvn-dashboards.hf.space/app) allows users to interact with personalized dashboards for cytologists/cytotechnologists, cytopathologists, and laboratory management, demonstrating Python's effectiveness as a toolkit for modular and reproducible data processing in creating tailored cytology quality assurance solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Veterans Health Administration provides care to more than 100,000 Veterans with cirrhosis. Aims: This implementation evaluation aimed to understand organizational resources and barriers associated with cirrhosis care. Methods: Clinicians across 145 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers (VAMCs) were surveyed in 2022 about implementing guideline-concordant cirrhosis care. VA Corporate Data Warehouse data were used to assess VAMC performance on two national cirrhosis quality measures: HCC surveillance and esophageal variceal surveillance or treatment (EVST). Organizational factors associated with higher performance were identified using linear regression models. Results: Responding VAMCs (n = 124, 86%) ranged in resource availability, perceived barriers, and care processes. In multivariable models, factors independently associated with HCC surveillance included on-site interventional radiology and identifying patients overdue for surveillance using a national cirrhosis population management tool ("dashboard"). EVST was significantly associated with dashboard use and on-site gastroenterology services. For larger VAMCs, the average HCC surveillance rate was similar between VAMCs using vs. not using the dashboard (47% vs. 41%), while for smaller and less resourced VAMCs, dashboard use resulted in a 13% rate difference (46% vs. 33%). Likewise, higher EVST rates were more strongly associated with dashboard use in smaller (55% vs. 50%) compared to larger (57% vs. 55%) VAMCs. Conclusions: Resources, barriers, and care processes varied across diverse VAMCs. Smaller VAMCs without specialty care achieved HCC and EVST surveillance rates nearly as high as more complex and resourced VAMCs if they used a population management tool to identify the patients due for cirrhosis care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a 10-step methodology for developing an enhanced IAQ dashboard and classroom index (CI) in higher educational facilities located in arid environments. The identified parameters of the enhanced IAQ dashboard–inspired by the pandemic experience, result from the literature review and the outcome of two electronic surveys of (52) respondents, including health professionals and facility management experts. On the other hand, the indicators included in the CI are based on (80) occupant survey responses, including parameters related to IAQ, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), and thermal comfort, amongst other classroom operative considerations. The CI is further tested in four learning spaces at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. The main contribution of this research is to suggest a conceptual visualization of the dashboard and a practical classroom index that integrates a representative number of contextual indicators to recommend optimal IAQ scenarios for a given educational facility. This study concludes by highlighting several key findings: (1) both qualitative and quantitative metrics are necessary to capture indoor air quality-related parameters accurately; (2) tailoring the dashboard as well as the CI to specific contexts enhances its applicability across diverse locations; and finally, (3) the IAQ dashboard and CI offer flexibility for ad-hoc applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the cost-volume-profit ratio is essential in the direct-costing methodology for decision-making within economic entities. This analysis provides detailed insight into the relationship between costs, production volume and profitability of a business, thereby facilitating the decision-making process of managers and owners. This paper highlights the examination of the cost-volume-profit relationship in the idea of optimizing and substantiating profitable economic decisions. In highlighting the need for indicators: financial stability reserve, profitability threshold, sales volume necessary to obtain the desired profit, contribution margin and marginal price, methodological case studies are presented in this article. And finally, the article ends with conclusions regarding the gains given by the calculations and analyzes that can be made based on the cost-volume-profit relationship in the direct-costing method for the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Building Metagenome–Assembled Genomes (MAGs) from highly complex metagenomics datasets encompasses a series of steps covering from cleaning the sequences, assembling them to finally group them into bins. Along the process, multiple tools aimed to assess the quality and integrity of each MAG are implemented. Nonetheless, even when incorporated within end–to–end pipelines, the outputs of these pieces of software must be visualized and analyzed manually lacking integration in a complete framework. Methods We developed a Nextflow pipeline (MAGFlow) for estimating the quality of MAGs through a wide variety of approaches (BUSCO, CheckM2, GUNC and QUAST), as well as for annotating taxonomically the metagenomes using GTDB-Tk2. MAGFlow is coupled to a Python–Dash application (BIgMAG) that displays the concatenated outcomes from the tools included by MAGFlow, highlighting the most important metrics in a single interactive environment along with a comparison/clustering of the input data. Results By using MAGFlow/BIgMAG, the user will be able to benchmark the MAGs obtained through different workflows or establish the quality of the MAGs belonging to different samples following the divide and rule methodology. Conclusions MAGFlow/BIgMAG represents a unique tool that integrates state-of-the-art tools to study different quality metrics and extract visually as much information as possible from a wide range of genome features.